The swaddling of infants has been practiced by people around the world for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to, protecting an infant from the surrounding environment, allowing a caregiver to handle and carry an infant more easily, and comforting and/or quieting an infant.
There is some evidence that this is especially true of sick or “colicky” infants. Although no specific cause for colic has been identified and many potential remedies have been offered, research has shown that effective swaddling has a calming effect on crying infants. Other research also shows that a swaddled infant tends to be more willing to sleep on her back, which significantly reduces vulnerability to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (“SIDS”).
Typically, a swaddling implement provides a means for immobilizing an infant's arms while placing gentle, even pressure on the torso. Further, a swaddling implement would restrict leg movement without excessive pressure and would leave the infant's head unencumbered. Other features common in swaddling implements include material of construction, shape and length of wrap.
Unfortunately, presently-available swaddling implements do not provide all of these features. Quite often wraps associated with swaddling implements or blankets are wrapped too tightly around the infant, thereby either choking the infant, making the infant uncomfortable, and/or the like. As well, as an infant matures and gains strength, the infant is often able to unwrap blankets of fabric in traditional swaddling implements often creating a choking hazard.
Accordingly, the art field is in search of a swaddling implement or blanket that provides one or more of the desirable features mentioned above without the drawbacks of traditional wrap type swaddling implements and/or blankets.